2012 Audi R8 5.2 Quattro V!0 Coupe Automatic 2-door Coupe on 2040-cars

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Audi tests new kind of car sharing, lets you buy cars with buddies [w/video]

Car sharing services like ZipCar, Car2Go and others offer people in cities the chance to have a vehicle without dealing with the hassles of parking or maintenance, while also eliminating traffic. However, many individuals are turned off by the idea of splitting a car with an entire metropolis or would prefer to have a specific model at their disposal. For these unsatisfied souls, Audi has a new arrangement in Stockholm, Sweden, called Audi Unite that might be just the ticket. The setup is basically a small-scale car sharing service. Up to five people agree to share any of Audi's models for a year or two – even an R8 if they are so inclined. Each user has a special Bluetooth key fob that identifies them to the vehicle, and a smartphone app allows operators to schedule time with the car. Each person is then billed monthly according to his or her use. Audi thinks it might work best with friends, colleagues or neighbors, but the company can also play matchmaker for clients, if necessary. "In the beginning, our biggest fear was what if two people want to go somewhere at the same time-what happens then?" said Clemens Weisshaar, one of the founders of design firm Kram/Weisshaar that helped develop the idea, to Fast Company. "Interestingly, it never happened." They chose Stockholm because the city was tech-savvy, and there is a tradition of sharing there. Prices for Audi Unite seem fairly reasonable for each user. According to the service's website, if four people use an A3 Sportback for two years with a 20,000-kilometer (12,247-mile) driving limit, they would pay an average of 2,091 Swedish krona ($277) each per month. For an extra 365 krona (about $50) per person each month, they can add a package that includes vehicle pickup and delivery for monthly interior and exterior cleaning, winter tire exchanges and necessary servicing. After Stockholm, Audi plans to try Unite in other Swedish cities before launching the program in additional countries, according to Fast Company. Scroll down to watch a video with more explanation about how the program works and read the automaker's press release about the initiative.

Leaked design sketch may preview Audi TT Sportback Concept for Paris

With the debut of the new TT and TTS hardtops in Geneva earlier this year, as well as the more recent debut of the convertible model, Audi has ticked the same body style boxes as the first two generations of TT. Unlike those earlier examples, though, the German luxury manufacturer has provided a slow and steady parade of concepts showing off possible directions for the TT.
First, we had the Allroad Shooting Brake Concept from the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Then, in April, we saw the Offroad Concept, whose biggest differentiation from the Detroit concept was its extra pair of doors, making it appear, at least superficially, quite similar to one of Audi's Sportback models. This clear evolution from shooting brake to neo-Sportback might not have meant much, had the image you see above not leaked.
This is, allegedly, the third member of the larger TT-based concept family, and - surprise, surprise - it has massaged the profile of the Offroad Concept into something that, to our eyes, appears far more grounded in reality. It looks like a natural fit into Audi's line of four-door-coupe models, which are more fleshed out in Europe, thanks to the presence of the A5/S5 Sportback. Slotting in a TT-based model could represent a coup for Audi, as such a small four-door with such obvious sports car roots would be mostly unchallenged.

Audi renders crossover concept for Detroit, is it the Q1?

Judging by the direction Audi is taking with recent concept vehicles, the forthcoming Audi Q1 crossover - confirmed for production in 2016 - should be an exciting little crossover. Last year, the automaker revealed the Crosslane Coupe Concept, and now it has announced it will reveal a new CUV concept at the Detroit Auto Show next month.
Teased in a trio of sketches, Audi says this unnamed concept is designed with a shooting brake style, which to us it makes it look like a combination of an Audi Allroad and a three-door A3. Little information is available on this concept, but it is about seven inches shorter than the Q3 and Audi notes that it will possess "design elements that are typical of e-tron models," which suggests some sort of powertrain electrification. There's still about a month before the Detroit show kicks off, but until then you can check out the sketches and press release (posted below) that Audi has provided.